I really enjoyed reading Harry Turtledove’s historical fiction novel, How Few Remain, and couldn’t wait to dive into the next part in the series. American Front continues the concept of a world where the Confederate States of America won the American Civil War, thus leaving the nation divided. How Few Remain dealt with a second Civil War between the United States and the Confederate States, which the Confederacy wins once again. American Front continues to follow these two countries into a more modern time, and how their relationship is with the start of the twentieth century.
American Front takes place during the the events of World War I. Austrian Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated and the European powers draw up their alliances, with Austria and Germany going to war with Britain and France. The big difference in this timeline deals with the United States. While historically the U.S. joined forces with the Allied Powers (Britain, France, and co.), this is not the case in Turtledove’s timeline. In the “Southern Victory” series, the British and French are allies with the Confederate States, while the U.S. builds up an alliance with Germany (this is seen during the second Civil War where the U.S. wages war against the Confederacy, British, and French.) So when World War I breaks out, the Confederacy (led by President Woodrow Wilson) joins the Allied Powers, while the U.S. (led by Theodore Roosevelt) sides with the Central Powers. Soon enough the war hits home, as U.S. and C.S. forces clash at several different border points in North America. Read More
